Pathfinder - Swashbuckler Archetypes Breakdown

Disclaimer

I will use content from the core rules, but will intentionally omit any content not published
on the official Pathfinder SRD due to the
unmanageable volume of non-SRD content, and the wildly varying quality of non-SRD content.
If you would like me to write handbooks for specific content not published on the official
SRD, please email me and I will consider it on a case-by-case
basis. I will use the color coding scheme which has become common among Pathfinder build
handbooks. Also note that many colored items are also links to the Paizo SRD.

Red: Bad, useless options, or options which are extremely situational.

Orange: OK options, or useful options that only apply in rare circumstances

Green: Good options.

Blue: Fantastic options, often essential to the function of your character.

Temporary Note: Pathfinder Unchained and Occult Adventures were
both recently added to the SRD. I'm excited to explore them, and I am actively working
on adding their contents to my collection of handbooks. I appreciate your patience while
I make these changes.

Archetypes

The Swashbuckler is a Striker and potentially a Face. The Swashbuckler's archetypes
seek to add interesting new fighting mechanics to the Swashbuckler's already considerable
prowess.

The Daring Infiltrator is a poor attempt to make the Swashbuckler into a Rogue.
If you want to play a Rogue, they already have a class for it.

Class Skills: Disguise is situational, but Stealth is
nice. Losing Diplomacy hurts if you want to play a Face, but you won't miss Perform
or Profession. If you still want to play a Face, spend a trait to get it as a class
skill.

Bonus Feats: Feats which provide bonuses to skills are
rarely taken, and for good reason. While the bonuses are certainly tempting, they can
be easily replaced with skill ranks or fantastically cheap items.

Quick-Tongued (Ex): The Swashbuckler's Charisma should
be good enough that they should be good at Bluff. This bonus won't see much use unless
you plan to Feint frequently, and the Swashbuckler has very little reason to do so.
Giving up Charmed Life is disappointing, but not difficult to overcome.

Deeds: All of the new deeds are situational.

Clandestine Expertise (Ex): Situational, but the
static skill bonuses for yourself are nice. Not as nice as a bonus to initiative,
but still nice.

Silence Is Golden (Ex): This is a fantastic way to
disable enemy spellcasters. The vast majority of spells include verbal components,
so preventing their use largely prevents enemies from casting spells. You need to
trip or grapple the target to trigger this, so be sure to invest in Trip.

Authoritative Bluff (Ex): Situational. Rerolls are
great, but Bluff still doesn't see a ton of use.

The Flying Blade is a fun archetype executed very well. Thrown weapon builds typically
require a combination of Two-Weapon Fighting and archery feats, but Precise Throw adds
a big pile of precision damage which bridges the gap between normla and TWF builds without
the expensive feat chain. The Swashbuckler's abilities are fantastic and a lot of run,
and Flying Blade modifies several essential Deeds to be extremely viable at range.

Panache: This shouldn't really be a problem.

Deeds: The Flying Blade's deeds rework the default
Swashbuckler deeds so that they work with daggers and starknives. Many of the deeds
are great, and really contribute to a dagger-centric character concept.

Subtle Throw (Ex): You don't want to rely on this
too much, but it's excellent if you get into a bad spot.

Disrupting Counter (Ex): You get a free attack,
and the -4 penalty might prevent your enemy from hitting you.

Precise Throw (Ex): This will be your primary source
of damage output. With 60 foot range you have better range than a rogue, and
increasing the range increment for your daggers is great, especially if you take
Long Shot. Since it modifies Precise Strike you are unable to use it with two-weapon
fighting, which is a great option for most thrown weapon builds, but the damage
from Precise Strike is excellent, and you don't need an expensive feat chain.

Bleeding Wound (Ex): Even better for the Flying Blade
than for normal Swashbucklers, Bleeding Wound is fantastic for hit and run attacks.
With no need to get into melee, the Flying Blade can inflict bleed damage on enemies
and retreat to safety while they bleed to death.

Perfect Throw (Ex): This is a cool option, but your
attack bonus should be good enough to hit anything which you're fighting, and you
should be able to bypass the DR of most enemies with a bit of forethought.

Flying Blade Training (Ex): The bonuses to attack and
damage are nice, and improved critical is fantastic considering that you get it three
levels earlier than anyone else can.

Flying Blade Mastery (Ex): Your daggers now have 17-20/x3
criticals, which is fantastic.

The Inspired Blade is a lateral step from the base Swashbuckler. The biggest
problem is that the Inspired Blade can't take Slashing Grace. If that's acceptable
to you, the Inspired Blade can be a very interesting option.

Inspired Panache (Ex): Investing a little bit in two
abilities is much cheaper than investing a lot in one ability. However, losing the
ability to gain Panache points from killing blows can hurt the Swashbuckler's
sustainability.

Inspired Finesse (Ex): If you weren't planning to use
Slashing Grace, the rapier is the Swashbuckler's best weapon option, so you're
essentially getting Weapon Focus for free.

Deeds: One option and it's bad.

Inspired Strike (Ex): Too costly, and much of the
Swashbuckler's damage comes from Precise Strike and thus isn't multiplied on
a critical hit. Critical hits aren't importan to the Swashbuckler for their
damage; they are important for the free Panache points.

Rapier Training (Ex): Remember that Weapon Focus gives
you an additional +1 to attacks on top of this. Improved Critical makes it easier to
fuel the ever-important Panache pool.

The Swashbuckler is a fantastic class for small characters looking to get into
melee. The Mouser attempts to further emphasize this by allows the Swashbuckler to
better engage foes larger than the Swashbuckler. However, the Mouser gives up several
great Swashbuckler Deeds for some very situational options. Underfoot Assault is a
great ability, and is certainly worth a class dip for small characters looking to
fight in melee.

Deeds: Most of the options are situational. Underfoot
Assault could be good for a class dip into Mouser Swashbuckler, but you can live
without the other Deeds, and the Deeds replaced are much better than what the Mouser
gets.

Underfoot Assault (Ex): This is a fantastic way to
force your target to attack you, which is one of the most important functions of
a Defender. Be sure that your AC is good and that you have enough hit points to
survive combat in such close quarters.

Quick Steal (Ex): Situational, but allows you to
Steal without wasting a feat on Improved Steal.

Hamstring (Ex): Dirty Trick is a fantastic maneuver
with a lot of excellent options. You get none of them. Instead you can stagger
the target. Staggering enemies can be very useful because it prevents iterative
attacks, but you give up Targeted Strike which offers a lot of useful tactical
options for the Swashbuckler.

Cat's Charge (Ex): Giving up Bleeding Wound is
disappointing, but this vastly improves the Mouser's mobility. Charging to the
far side of your enemy is a great way to get into position for flanking.

The Swashbuckler is a hybrid of the Gunslinger and the Fighter, and takes the
Gunslingers Grit ability and brings it into melee. Instead of trying to play the
Swashbuckler as a Gunslinger, just go play a Gunslinger. This archetype is bad,
ridiculous, and pointless.

Weapon Proficiency: Firearms are complex, but can be
very effective.

Musketeer Instruction (Ex): You don't get to use your Charisma
modifier in place of Intelligence for combat feats, but in exchange you get Rapid Reload
(Musket). If you plan to use a musket, Rapid Reload is required.

Deed: Misfires are a problem for any firearm user, and
Quick Clear significantly mitigates the issue.

Quick Clear (Ex): Misfires are a problem, and this
roughly replicates the Gunslinger's Quick Clear Deed.

Slow down there, Zoro. (Do people still know who Zoro is?) The Mysterious Avanger
is a combination of a secret identity and a penchant for whips. Proficiency with whips
and the ability to use whips with Swashbuckler Deeds gives the Swashbuckler the ability
to be an Area Control Defender if you take Improved Whip Mastery. The flavor of the
archetype is cool, but the abilities are slightly worse than what they replace, so you
really need to capitalize on the ability to use whips in order to make this archetype
functional.

Alignment: This shouldn't be a problem in most campaigns.

Class Skills: Disguise is very situational, but it makes
a lot of sense for this archetype.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The whip is hard to use
in melee, but can be great for combat maneuvers. If you plan to use it consistently,
pick up Whip Mastery and Improved Whip Mastery. Losing proficiency with bucklers means
nothing: you can get masterwork buckler with no armor check penalty and never notice
that you're not proficient.

Avenger Finesse (Ex): This allows you to use Dexterity
for your attacks with whips, which is essential to a Swashbuckler.

Secret Identity (Su): Very situational, and Nimble provides
a much-needed bonus to AC.

Greater Charmed Life (Ex): This will help to overcome
the loss of AC caused by giving up Nimble, but it makes you very dependent on your
limited uses of Charmed Life in a day. Remember that this adds 3 additional uses, so
the Mysterious Avenger gets a total of 6 uses per day at level 4.

Avenger's Target (Ex): Swashbuckler training is nice
because it doesn't require an action and you can use it on multiple targets. However,
Avenger's Target also increases the DCs of your deeds. I would call that an even trade,
especially once you hit level 10 and can study targets as a swift action.

At 10th level, a mysterious avenger can study an opponent as a move or swift action. This ability replaces swashbuckler weapon training.

I really wish that this archetype was good, because the fighting style is very
flashy and exciting. Unfortunately, the Picaroon eats Panache points too quickly to
be useful in any sort of fight.

Weapon Proficiency: Firearms are complex, but can be
very effective.

Panache: Normal Panache, plus you can use firearms.

Deeds: The Picaroon's deeds do a bit to fix firearms
for the Swashbuckler, but they eat Panache points too quickly to be useful.

Melee Shooter (Ex): You don't want to use this often
because it will eat your Panache pool too fast. If you take Signature Deed it can
be useful.

Quick Clear (Ex): Essential for any firearm user.

Gun Feint (Ex): The Swashbuckler gets very little
from making an enemy flat-footed.

Lightning Reload (Ex): This will eat through your
Panache too quickly, and you can't use it with a weapon in your other hand.

Two-Weapon Finesse (Ex): While this looks absurdly cool,
it doesn't work mehcanically. Two-Weapon Fighting and Firearms are very feat-starved
builds, and adding both on one character is a recipe for disaster.